Improvement in caeteidge-ejeotoe foe beeech-loading fiee-aems



W. H. -& G. W. MILLER.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

No. 68,099. Patented Aug. 27, 1867.

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WILLIAM H. MILLER AND GEORGE W. MILLER, OF WEST MERIDEN, CON- NECTIGUT.

Letters Patent No. 68,099, dated August 27, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT GAR'IBIDGE-EJEGTOR FOB BRBEGH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. MILLER and GEORGE.W. MILLER, of WestMeriden, in the county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire- Arms; andwe do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference beingthad to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1represents a top plan of so much of a breech-loading fire-arm as willillustrate our invention.

Figure 2 represents a .side view thereof.

Figure 3 represents a side view, partially in section, with the swingingbreech-block raised up as in the act of loading the arm.

Figure 4 represents a view of the accelerating lever detached. from thearm.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the separate figuresdenote like parts of the arm in all the drawings.

Our invention consists in combining with an ejector placed loosely onthe pivot-pin of the swinging breechblock, an accelerating or rockinglever, that imparts a blow or quick motion to the ejector after it hasstarted back the cartridge-case, and causes it to throw out the shell orcase clear of the arm.

A represents a portion of the stock, and B a portion of the barrel of afirm-arm. C is I a breech-block,

hinged to the top of the barrel at a, in any suitably substantialmanner, by lugs 12 b b and a pivot-pin, 0, passing through them. Onthepivot-pin c of the swinging breech-block is loosely placed anejector, d, which has upon its inner or under portion a shoulder, e, fortaking against the flangef of the cartridge-case D, and backing it outof the loading or firing-chamber. On the outer or upper portion of theejector (i there is a projection, 2', against which the acceleratinglever takes, to first turn the ejector to start back' thecartridge-case, and then to receivea sudden impulse to further throwbackorpush out said eertridgeecase, as will be presently explained. In rearof the hinge-joint a, and in close proximity to it, upon the swingingbreech-block, is placed an accelerating lever, m, which lies parallelwith the plane or axis of the hinge-joint. On the under side of thislever at there is a stud or projection, n, which enters a seat in thebreech-block, and upon the upper side thereof, and at or near the endmost remote from the ejector, there is a head or projection, a, Thislever m is placed ina groove cut in the breech-block, and the under sideof the lever, as at 1-, may be sloped 011', so that when the head 0 isstruck, the lever may rock in the line of its length, upon the stud n,as a fulcrum, and give a suddgn throw or impulse to its other end, whichbeing at the time in contact with the ejector, imparts an acceleratedmotion to said ejector and to the cartridge-case, with the fiangeofwhich the ejector is in contact. Instead of sloping off the under sideof the lever m, a recess or plane may be formed in the bottom of thegroove, which would accomplish the same end. The lever on is held in itsplace by a screw, 8, the head of which projects over and into it farenough to prevent it from falling out. Farther than merely holding it toits place or seat, the lever is free to rock in the groove, or upon itspin or stud n.

The operation is as follows: The cartridge is placed in theloading-chamber, and partially run up into the firing-chamber, by thefingers. The breech-block is then brought down, and its forward endcomes against the heel of the cartridge and forces it home. The flangeof the cartridge-case coming against the shoulder e of the ejector,turns the ejector upon the pivot-pin 0 until its projection i comes intothe position shown in fig. 2- When the arm has been fired, or thecartridge or shell is to be taken or backed out, the breech-block isswung open, and in doing so the point of the lever m comes against theshoulder 71 on the ejector, and turning the ejector on the pivot-pin c,and the and e of the ejector bearing against the flangef of thecartridge, starts back the cartridge case. Continuing the raising up andthrowing forward of the breech-block, the head 0 of the lever m strikesupon a partmt, in front of the hinge, which throws down that end of thelever, and correspondingly raises the other end; and in a degreeincreased, by the position of the fulcrum n, with regard to the wholelength of the lever. As the breech-block is raised up and thrown forwardwith a quick motion, it causes quite a blow, through the lever m, to theejector, and through the ejector to the flange of the cartridge-case,throwing the latter out of the arm or far enough buck to drop out, by a.slight turning of the arm, without applying the fingers, and withoutusing a spring, which, from slight nature, is liable to be broken ordisarranged. The swinging breech-block has upon it, or connected withit, all the necessary appliances for opening, closing, looking it down,and for transmission of the blow from the hammer to the fulminate toignite the charge.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

In combination with a. hinged and swinging hreech-block, theaccelerating lever m on said breeclnbloek, and the ejector d on thepivot-pin of the hinge, for the purpose of giving a. quick impulse tothe ejector, and through it to the cartridge-case, to throw the latterout of the gun, substantially as described.

WM. H. MILLER, GEO. W. MILLER.

Witnesses:

LEVI E. 00E, JAMES P. PLATT.

